Portable dental engine for an all-cord elbow arm and handpiece



May 27; i924, 1,495,673

B. L. CLLlFFTON /ET/BLE DENTAL-ENGINE FOR AN ALAI, conn ELBOW ARM AND HANDPIECE -Filed April l0 1923 Inventor..

MZIZQSS.' l EMM. @di

Patented May 27, 1924.

UNITED STATES PArENr oFF-Ice.

BAcoN L. .CLIEETQN or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.,

PoR'rABLE DENTAL ENGINE Eon A'N ALL-conn ELBOW AEM AND HANIPIEcE.

rApplication filed April 10, 1923. Serial No. 631,060.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, BACON L. CLIFFTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in .the county of yLos Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Portable Dental Engine for an All-Cord Elbow Arm and Handpiece, of which the following isa specification An object of the invention is `to provide a light portable appliance with a-driving means for-smoothly and uniformly actuating rotary 'dentalI tools. To .that end, I provide an appliance comprising a base with a dental motor thereon that is detachably connected to but insulated from an all cord elbow arm and hand piece; with means connected therewith for holding-a relatively uniform contact of an endless cord of vthe elbow armand hand piece in frictional engagement with a drivev pulley on the motor so that dental tools attached to the hand piece will be driven smoothly. In other words the endless cord is held taut so that a relatively smooth uniform movement is transmitted from the motor to the tools.

An object of the invention is to provide an appliance vthat can be easily and quickly assembled and mounted on al dental instrument case ready for use; and that can also be demounted and stored in a dental instrument case' for transportation.

An object is to provide a small appliance that is adapted for use of students, clinical demonstrations or laboratory work.

An object of the invention is tov provide an appliance that is light and durable in construction; neat and pleasing in appearance and which is simple to make and assemble.

Features of the invention are shown 1n the construction, combination and yarrangement of the parts of the appliance whereby high efiici-ency at low cost of construction and installationis obtained.r

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing. thesubjoined detail description and the appended claims. f f

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dental instrument case adapted to be used in combination with the dental appliance constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the instrument case open ready for attachment of the den-- tal appliance. l

Fig. 3 is a fragmental section on line 3-3,

Fig. 2, with the dental ,appliance attached ready for use; and diagrammatically showing understood that the motor canbe driven Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental section on line 4--4, F ig. 2,` showing a detail of the strap for supporting the dental .appliance at the end ofthe instrument case.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental section on line 5-5. Fig. 3, showing` a plan-view of the base and dental motor.

Fig. 6 is a sect-ion on line 6 6, Fig. 5, omit-ting the motor and instrument case, showing the motor base insulated from the post for supporting the all cord arm Aand hand piece. f f

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-47, Fig. 3, omitting the instrument case.

F'g. 8 is an enlargedfragmental section on line '8--8,k lig. 3,-showing the spring for 'applying tension to the endless cable.

' The dental appliance comprisesfa basel that it is light for handling and transporting, and-on this base is mounted alight electrical motor 2 that canbe driven from any source of power such as the battery a, switch b and wiring c; c'jshown diagrammatically in Fig. 3.

A-post 3 has its lower end secured to the basel by the screws 3; land to prevent an electrical current from accidentally escaping from the motor circuit to the elbow arm and hand piece the post 8 is insulated from the base by the plates (Z and the washers e.' and inthe free end of the post there is a socket 4 that is adapted'to receive the bea-rvving a battery connected to the motor; `it being pin 5 of a detachable dental elbow arm 4 and'hand piece.

A hanger 7 is connected to the post 3 by the screws 8; and the tongue 9 of the hanger 7 'is adapted to be detachably extended into ceive the endless cord 17 that extends around the sheave pulley 18 on the motor shaft 19.

An arm member 2O has one end connected to the body 14; and the free end of this arm is hollow so that it normally telescopes one end of another arm member 21; and interposed between shoulders on the telescoping members 20, 21 isy a spring 22 that is adapted to force the member 21 away from the body 14 and thereby apply tension toI the endless cord 17 when it is on the pulleys to hold it .in firm, even driving engagement with the motor pulley 18.

The general construction of the part 6 is well known; there being another arm .member 23 with an end pivotally connected to a block 24 that is secured to one end of the member 21 and block 24 carries twin pulleys 25 in alignment with the twin pulleys' 16; also at the other end of the member 23 there is a block 26 that carries the twin pulleys 27 that are aligned with the pulley 25. A

Depending from the block 26 is a support 28 on which is mounted the hand piece 29 that is provided with a pulley 30 and a tool end 31; andthe endless cord 17 eX- tends from the engine pulley 18 over the twin pulleys 17, 25, 27 to the pulley 30; and the parts are constructed and arranged so that the arm 6 can be either folded and resting on the support 32 or extended into any desired position without materially effecting the tension on the cord 17; and also arranged so that the driven cord 17 will actuate a tool in the hand piece 29.

In operation the case 13 is preferably placed on a surgical table 33 that is conveniently located adjacent an operating chair, not shown; and the` dental appliance removed from the case and mounted as shown. That is, the base 1 is secured to the case 13 and the dental appliance 6 assembled and pivotally connected to the post 3 after which the arm member 21 is forced toward the body 14 and against the tension of spring 22 until the endless cord 17 which has been properly arranged over the other pulleys can be placed over the pulley 18. Then arm member 21 is released whicli 'causes the spring 22 to apply an even tension to the endless cord 17 for the purpose previously stated.

After use the dental appliance can be disconnected and enclosed in the case 13 for transporting; by which construction, combination and arrangement of parts provide a very desirable7 convenient and useful appliance for use of transient dentists, students, and work in laboratories as previously stated.

It is understood that where the dental appliance is to be used in a laboratory or lecture'room that the strap 11 can be connected to a wall, table or other support so that whenever desired the appliance can be connected to the strap in the same manner and operated as when attached to the instrument case. Y`

I claim.

1. A portable dental engine for an all cord elbow arm and hand piece comprising an instrument case; an aluminum base; a motor on said base; a driving pulleyfon said motor; a post on said base; means for detachably connect-ing said post to an instrument case," an elbow arm and hand piecey pivotally connected vto said post; pulleys on said elbow arm and hand piece; an endless cord on said pulleys; and means for holding said cord taut on said driving pulley.

2. A portable dental engine for an all cord elbow arm and hand piece comprising an instrument case; an aluminum base adapted to be carried in said case; a motor on said ibase; a drive pulley on said motor; a' post mounted on and insulated from said base; said post having a hanger secured thereto by which said post and base are suspended from the end of said case; an elbow arm and hand piece detachably connected to said post; pulleys on said elbow arm and hand piece; a Flexible member on said pulleys said member in driving engagement with said drive pulley; and means for holding said member taut on said driving pulley.

3. A portable dental engine for an all cord elbow arm and hand piece comprising an instrument case; an aluminum base adapted. to be transported in saidy instrument case; means for supporting said base at an end ott' said instrument case; a motor on said base; a dental device detachably connected to said base; a detachable driving connection between said motor and device; and means for insulating said dental device from said base and motor so that an electrical current cannot accidentally escape from said motor to said dental device.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 3d day of April, 1923.

BACON L. CLIFF TON.

Witness:

W. M. GENTLE.

ill)

llO 

